Local GOP electeds make pick for Pike’s replacement

The first ballots for Washington state legislative races won’t be cast until the August primary, but the local GOP establishment has already made their pick for who should succeed state Rep. Liz Pike, a Camas Republican who is running for Clark County council chair.

On Sunday, Larry Hoff, a retired credit union executive who is running for Pike’s seat, posted a video on Facebook and Twitter that touted endorsements from U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, Clark County Councilors Julie Olson and John Blom, County Auditor Greg Kimsey and Washington’s Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman. The video also mentions endorsements made earlier by Clark County Republican state Sens. Ann Rivers and Lynda Wilson, as well as state Reps. Brandon Vick, Paul Harris and Ed Orcutt.

Also in the race is Camas airline pilot John Ley, who is running as a Republican and has Pike’s endorsement.

In other news, Kathy Gillespie, the Democrat in the race, leads in fundraising. She’s received a total of $28,815, slightly ahead of Hoff’s $26,884. Of the more notable donations to Gillespie’s campaign include $250 from Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek and a $100 donation from Vancouver Mayor- elect Anne McEnerny-Ogle.

Hoff received a $1,000 donation from David Nierenberg, a prominent political donor who has successfully helped raise substantial amounts of cash for political candidates.